New snow (loose snow avalanches)

Characteristics

• The avalanche problem is related to current or most recent snowfall.
• Releases in unbound loose snow.
• The avalanche starts in a point, gets wider on its way down. Formed loke a drop.
• This kind of avalanches are most often small, but can get a lot bigger on its way down large slopes if entraining a lot of snow.
• Loose snow avalanches can trigger larger slab avalanches if weak layers exist deeper in the snowpack.

Spatial distribution

• The problem is generally widely present and often in all aspects.
• Release of dry loose snow avalanches most often occur in terrain steeper than 40 degrees.

Release characteristics

• Lack of cohesion between the new snow particles.

Duration

• Stabilizes quite fast, duration typically during snowfall and up to a few days after, dependin gon temperature and radiation.

Identification of the problem

• The new snow problem is fairly easy to recognize.
• Watch out for new snow amounts on steep rock and recent avalanche activity.